


Brothers

by nwhepcat



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, SPN 5.2 "Good God, Y'all", episode coda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-21
Updated: 2010-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-07 10:50:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/64424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nwhepcat/pseuds/nwhepcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has some things to say to Dean. As a friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers

When his cellphone blasts "Highway to Hell" shortly before dawn, Dean startles, banging his knuckles against the window crank. "Dammit!" Shifting on the Impala's back seat, he digs up the phone. "Yeah Cas, what?"

"Where are you?"

"Bumfuck, Egypt."

There's a pause. "I do not believe you are in Egypt."

Dean scrubs a hand over his face. "Wisconsin. A few miles south of a town called Darlington. I'm parked at a wayside." Stupid fucking word for a rest stop that's too damn small to be anything but awkward if more than one car's there. Dean can't help thinking of the phrase "fallen by the wayside." His whole life is full of things that have fallen by the wayside, but Sam is the hardest.

"It smells like a distillery in here," Castiel remarks from the front seat. He rolls down the window, letting in the damp air.

"I can change that," Dean says sourly, "but I doubt you'd appreciate the fragrance." He's half tempted, but refrains. At least now that Castiel's lost his angel GPS, he has to give Dean warning before showing up and making with the judgmental. Dean considers sitting up, but stays sprawled across the seat. "So what's up? Found God yet?"

"I have not."

"Have you tried the corner of 1st and Amistad?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"I have seen the prophet."

"Chuck? Has he got any ideas?"

"He has seen nothing."

It's grown light enough that Dean can see Castiel's silhouette, and the birds are starting to raise a ruckus. "No news is no news," Dean says.

"We spoke of what happened after I ... departed from his abode. You said, 'My friend Cas.'"

It feels damn early for a conversation about feelings, or whatever this is, but Dean squelches a smartass remark. "Damn straight I did," he says to the ceiling of the Impala. "I said it to that smarmy prick Zachariah." Dean grins. "Man, the look on his face when you showed up."

"It was immensely satisfying."

He's quiet for a moment, but it seems like he's got something else on his mind, so Dean waits for whatever it is.

"I am honored. I know that you do not give your trust easily. Angels are not well versed in the ways of human friendships, but I will make every effort to be worthy of yours."

Dean finds himself speechless for a moment, then manages to say, "Just keep doing what you've been doing. Except for the parts where you listened to Zachariah. And try not to get exploded by the archangels again, all right?"

"The former will be easy. As for the latter ... I will do my utmost."

"Cas, the sun hasn't even come up. Following 'the former' and 'the latter' is asking a lot until I've had some damn coffee." Dean hauls himself up, but by the time he's sitting up, Castiel has vanished. Heaving a sigh, Dean gets out of the car and heads off to the primitive toilet facilities.

When he gets back to the car, Castiel is back in the passenger seat, a cup of McDonalds coffee in each hand. "Be warned," Cas says as he hands over a cup. "Contents may be very hot."

"Thanks," Dean says, suppressing a smile.

Castiel takes a sip from his own coffee. "I wish to speak with you as a friend."

Now there's the conversational _Warning: Contents May Be Very Hot_. Wary, Dean says, "Uh-huh...."

"Time is short."

So far this doesn't sound so different from _I wish to speak with you as an angel._

"Yeah...."

"I believe you should forgive Sam."

Dean blinks. This is the last topic he expected Castiel to weigh in on. "Look, Cas, I know you mean well. But this rift, it's --" It's so big and black and bottomless that he can't even put it into words.

"He's your brother."

His temper flares. "Yeah, he's my brother. Which is why he shouldn't have chosen a demon over me. He lied to me and fucked that bitch and drank her blood, and now we've got the apocalypse." That shuts him up, because he knows that Castiel knows who else played a major part in Lucifer's rising. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uriel was my brother." He has his smitey _I can send you back_ voice on. "He slew seven of my brothers and sisters, turned others against our Father. He would have slain me as well because I would not follow him. Unlike Sam, he did these things in full knowledge that they would bring about Lucifer's release."

"And have you forgiven Uriel?"

Castiel expels an exasperated sigh. "You have missed the point."

"I do that a lot, I'm told."

"Sam was deceived."

"Sam is smarter than I'll ever be," Dean snaps.

"The Sam you knew was destroyed," Castiel replies, just as sharply. "Your death blew him apart just as surely as the archangels destroyed my vessel."

The world outside seems to go silent, frozen, and Dean can barely breathe.

"You forget that he did not experience just the one death, but a hundred. Each one affected him as deeply as the first, only to be wiped away with the morning. He does not speak of this time, does he?"

"No."

"Has he ever told you that there was one final death that was not wiped away? That he endured months without you while he tracked down the Trickster? A preview of what was to come."

"He never said."

"You withhold so many secrets from one another. This experience drove a wedge deep into his spirit. When you were dragged to hell, he cracked wide open. Sam was deceived, yes, but many events led him to succumb. You should forgive him."

Dean stares at his hand on the steering wheel, unable to think of a thing to say.

Castiel adds softly, "You should forgive yourself."

Dean scowls. "Is that all?"

"No."

_Why am I not surprised?_

"I wanted to ask your forgiveness for myself as well. Angels ... we are hierarchical beings, built for unquestioning obedience. It took me a very long time to realize my superiors could no longer be trusted. I am sorry."

Dean takes a long drink of his coffee. "Well. Who'd have thought? I mean, SD-6 looked just like the CIA there for a while, too."

"I ... have no idea what you mean to say."

"I mean to say we're past that."

"This gladdens me," Castiel says. "I realize that's much to ask, but I will ask for more. We have all been deceived and torn apart. Forgive Sam. Forgive yourself."

"First I've gotta figure out where he is," Dean says.

"He is in Sandusky, Ohio. It's a long drive, but you can be there today."

Dean reaches for the ignition, and by the time the engine roars into life, Castiel has gone.


End file.
